


An Affliction Called Love

by Amanda_Yates



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2015-09-29
Packaged: 2018-04-23 23:57:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4897222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amanda_Yates/pseuds/Amanda_Yates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a short, angsty drabble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Affliction Called Love

_‘People, you can never change the way they feel’_

It was astounding the stark contrast with which we treat people whom we love and the one’s we don’t.

Arthur’s hand is gentle on her cheek, he never pulls or pushes, shoves or knocks, there’s such a carefulness about his movements when he’s around her, a cautiousness, a protectiveness even from himself when he touches her.

_‘Better let them do just what they will’_

He tries, tries so very hard not to feel bitter when they are laid out on the mattress that he’d lugged all the way from the castle, eating from a picnic basket he’d packed meticulously, they are kissing in the ways poets write about, with gentle ease and basking smiles.

The fairytale couple of Camelot, a Prince and a Servant, Merlin has no doubt this will go down in the legends as one of the greatest love stories ever told and he tries all the time to not be envious.

_‘For they will, if you let them steal your heart from you’_

Merlin’s heart has long since belonged to the golden King of Camelot, he didn’t quite know when it had happened, when he’d lost himself utterly and completely in another person.

He didn’t know if it was that first moment Arthur laid his hands on him, all arrogant indignation at the mouthy peasant boy, that first time he’d pulled his hands back and made Merlin feel completely helpless and humiliated and incredibly high. He’d never been that high in life before, never.

Within no time at all his heart and mind chanted this one name _Arthur, Arthur, Arthur_ , everything for Arthur.

He didn’t know when or how it began only that when he looked back if felt like he’d been in love with Arthur for forever.

_‘And people will always make a lover feel a fool’_

Arthur’s never gentle with him, he inflicts injuries both mental and physical and never bothers to acknowledge them, thinks he’s entitled to treat him badly, never thinks how much it hurts, how Merlin’s chest feels heavy everytime Arthur directs his eyes at him with nothing but derision and marginal tolerance, how he has to pretend to play the fool everytime, smile wide and gullible when he wants nothing but to shake and sob.

“The wonder is that Merlin is such an idiot!”

To Arthur Merlin is and perhaps always be a fool with a mental affliction, and Merlin agreed with him too, for he did suffer a grave mental affliction, the affliction of love. And not any love but the affliction of love unrequited.

_‘You must have been kissing a fool’_

**Author's Note:**

> The lyrics are from George Michael's 'Kissing a fool' a great song with a great meaning!


End file.
